Friday, January 6, 2012

Spotlight Blogger: Meet Katelyn

Today's featured blogger is Katelyn of My Angels From God. Let's find out a little more about Katelyn....

First, please tell us a bit more about yourself (name, age, where you live, what led you to making an adoption plan, and anything else you feel comfortable sharing).

My name is Katelyn Krum Shaw. I'm 23 years old and I live in Layton, Utah. I found out I was pregnant the fall after I graduated high school. The birth father was Air Force and deployed for Iraq the morning after I got pregnant. After he told me that I should get an abortion I knew he wasn't going to be the support I needed to raise a child. My cousin was the adoption supervisor at a local LDS Family Services and my mom called him to make an appointment with a case worker. I actually went into the meeting pretty determined to parent. I met with my case worker a few times before it really hit me that I needed to start thinking more seriously about adoption. The birth father wasn't supportive of the adoption but after certain things he said to me I really didn't give a flying rat’s behind whether he was supportive or not. My birth daughter was born on May 10, 2007 and was placed into her mother’s arms on May 14, 2007. Two short years later I met the love of my life and we became a family of 3. Around the same time I was pregnant, he and his girlfriend were also pregnant. I adopted Cayden in August 2010 and we were sealed as an eternal family in September of 2010. I have an open adoption with my birth daughter and a semi-closed adoption with my son's birth mother.

When and why did you begin blogging?

I started blogging about adoption and how it has touched my life in August of 2010. I've been asked many times how it is to be a birth mother and adoptive mother. I thought I should share with the internet world what it's like for me; all the trials, joys, struggles, and blessings that come along with it.

Tell us more about the title of your blog. Why did you choose it?

My blog title is My Angels From God.... This wasn't the original title for the blog.It was originally My Gifts from God. I always said that Ally was my gift from God to get me where I needed to be so that I could be Cayden's mommy. HOWEVER, Ally's birth father's family said some mean things so I changed it to My Angels from God. Ally and Cayden truly are angels in my life.

Has the response to your posts been mostly positive, mostly negative, or a mix of both?

Oh the responses to my posts..... They are all over the place. I've been told that I'm a horrible person for giving away my own child and then going and "stealing" a child from someone else. I've been praised for being as open with my son's birth mother given the situation that he came from with her. I've been ridiculed for thinking of Ally and Cayden as gifts from God. I've been mocked for thinking that I have any experience being a real adoptive mother since Cayden is technically my step son. My praises have been sung by countless people for opening up and sharing about the hard, tough, and not fun things that happen in adoption. So overall, I get mixed reviews.

What post on your blog do you consider a “must read” for people visiting your blog for the first time? Or what post(s) from your blog is (or are) your favorite(s) and why?

The most popular post on my blog is by far my placement post. I was able to have a professional photographer come and take pictures so there are some really gut wrenching pictures that really stir the heart. My favorite post would have to be this one, I'll Love You Forever.... It's about a dream that I had. It prepared me for my future in adoption.

Do you have any advice for someone thinking of starting their own blog?

The advice I have for someone considering starting their own blog is this: be open, be honest and be ready. Be open about your feelings regarding certain topics, sayings, points of view. Be honest with yourself about why you're blogging. Be ready to hear negative, positive, and indifferent opinions. If I allowed myself to be offended by every negative thing someone posted on my blog I would be in sad sorry ways. I know my story. I know how it's touched my life and by me sharing it I hope that it will touch other people's lives. I hope that I will be able to open the eyes of many to the wonderful world of adoption.

For more information on Katelyn, see her blog and/or watch this video!

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About BirthMom Buds

BirthMom Buds is an organization and website that provides peer counseling, support, encouragement, and friendship to pregnant women considering adoption as well as women who have already placed children for adoption.